


Sometimes words are necessary

by Mimisempai



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Best Friends, Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, Humor, Jealousy, Love Confessions, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Mike Dodds Lives, Self-Doubt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:06:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26326105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mimisempai/pseuds/Mimisempai
Summary: Sonny, after a year spent with Rafael, can't help but doubt their relationship, especially when he sees the complicity of Rafael and Mike, Rafael's best friend.He convinces Rita, his best friend, to go spy on the two friends, and a misunderstanding ensues that will make Rafael realize that sometimes words are necessary...Barisi opposite challenge : Rafael's best friend is Mike Dodds and Sonny's best friend is Rita
Relationships: Nick Amaro/Mike Dodds, Rafael Barba/Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr., Rita Calhoun/Carmen
Comments: 12
Kudos: 41
Collections: Barisi Opposites Challenge





	Sometimes words are necessary

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Perpetual Motion (perpetfic)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/perpetfic/gifts), [mgarner1227](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mgarner1227/gifts).



_-Rita ! Join me right now in front of Rafael's office !_

_-What's up Sonny? What has your idiot boyfriend done this time?_

_-He's not an idiot, he got better grades than you! But that's not the point!_

_-Better grades don't mean he's not stupid!_

_-Okay, okay! I think he's cheating on me! He's with Mike all the time and right now! I want to surprise them, I've already made arrangements with Carmen._

_-With My girlfriend?_

_-Yes and she was my friend before she was your girlfriend!_

_-Touché. But Sonny, we've already talked about it, Mike is happy in his relationship with Amaro, and frankly when you have a guy like Amaro you're not going to look atother men!_

_-Yes but lately we don't hear Mike saying "Nick this, Nick that" anymore, I think it's weird. Please Rita ! You know how I feel about Raf and-_

_-Yes Sonny you tell me 10 times a day, but you also know that I told you that you should tell him._

_-But if he-_

_-If he what? He's crazy about you, everyone can see it! You're the only one who pierced his armor!_

_-Yes but you see...Mike, physically he is better than me, he has a better position than me, he is the son of the chief, he is funny and he knows Raf better than me._

_-Uh, remind me again who has passed the bar and will be the second ADA next month? And from what I know, even though Mike is funny, you're the only one who makes Rafael laugh out loud. And I assure you that the way he follows your butt with his eyes every time you turn your back - I know that because Carmen told me - tells me that he likes what he sees._

_-But-_

_-It's okay, I know you won't leave me alone until you check it out. I'll be there in 10 minutes._

_-Thank you Rita!_

As she hung up, Rita shook her head, a little annoyed.

Making friends at her age was becoming rare, but when that friend had become her best friend, or at least the person she trusted the most, it was exceptional. Even more knowing that it was someone like Sonny who was the complete opposite of the kind of people she was usually friends with.

She had gotten to know him when she was giving night classes at Fordham as he was in his last year. She had been doing this as an extra rather than pro bono cases for a few years now, forgetting for a while the court battles where sometimes she seemed to lose her soul.

The young man had immediately challenged her -she knew him from the SVU as a cop- and she feared that he would have strong opinions on all subjects, knowing that they were not on the same side of the fence. He had completely proved to her the opposite, and she quickly saw the great lawyer he could become. Rita had understood how Rafael had been able to let himself be bewitched so easily.

It was Sonny, who was incredibly strong when it came to reading people, but unable to do the same with himself. 

She had never met anyone who was so unaware of his worth.

It had become even more so since he was with Rafael.

Sonny had tended to put the lawyer on a pedestal without realizing that Rafael had always considered him an equal.

Rita knew Rafael well since they studied law on Harvard at the same time. 

While many people had been surprised by the relationship between Rafael and Sonny, she immediately saw that they were made for each other. They understood each other perfectly, and anyone watching them could see that. The micro gestures and expressions that they exchanged, invisible to the average watcher, were perfectly visible to their loved ones. 

Well, it's true that Rita also had Carmen in the front row.

During her reflections she had joined Sonny, who was nervous judging by the way he was going around in circles and chewing his lip in front of the door of Rafael's office building.

"Ah Rita! Come here!" Sonny whispered.

"We're not there yet, don't bother whispering, idiot!"

"Yes yes, come on."

They walked together up to Rafael's office.

The blinds were almost completely closed so that no one could see them from the inside, but Sonny and Rita could spy because the door was slightly open and the angle allowed them to observe without being seen. Sonny and Rita approached and Rita could not help but think that they must have looked like two idiots.

  


She heard Sonny gasp.

She leaned over a little more to see Rafael and Mike sitting behind Raf's desk and Olivia standing behind them.

They looked like they were very close and having a lot of fun, judging by their more than happy expressions.

  


"Oh yes Rafi! This one is perfect and Mike, you should pick this one" Olivia said with a laugh in her voice.

"Yes Rafi! It's a super match" added Mike giving him a slight shoulder bump.

"Are you sure?" asked Rafael with an expression of uncertainty.

Rita didn't hear Mike's answer as she felt Sonny turn around and leave, she hastened to follow him outside.

"Sonny! Sonny! Sonny, wait!"

"But you saw it Rita, and even Olivia is an accomplice! How could I have been so blind," said the young man as he passed his hand over his face.

"Sonny! Don't jump to conclusions, you don't even know what they were talking about."

"But what more do you need?!"

"I don't believe it for a second Sonny. You should believe in Rafael, I assure you that he loves you! Even if he hasn't told you yet! It shows! I swear it to you!"

"You can't know that, Rita! You can't!" and Sonny turned around and said, "You don't have to follow me!"

Rita knew it was a waste of time and that the only one who could reassure him was Rafael himself, but to do that she had to go talk to him.

She took his phone.

_-Hello Carmen? Darling, you have to help me, otherwise our two lovebirds won't make it. You can let me know when Olivia and Mike leave, I need to talk to your boss._

_-You want me to tell him that you're coming here?_

_-No, I don't want to warn him, I want to take him by surprise._

_-All right! I'll see you later!_

Meanwhile Sonny had been called by Fin, saying that Mike would be joining them shortly to go and apprehend suspects. Sonny, who had calmed down a little bit during the walk, thought that if he had the courage, he would try to talk to Mike to find out what was going on.

When they arrived on the spot they had to chase after one of the suspects. Mike and Sonny had to work together to tackle him to the ground, and while Mike was restraining him, Sonny thought with the adrenaline still coursing through his veins, it was now or never.

"Mike, can I ask you something?"

"Uh, yeah, Sonny, but right now's really not a great time."

"Please..."

Mike, while handcuffing the suspect, saw by Sonny's expression that it was serious.

"Go for it."

"Um...here...you're Raf's best friend...and I wanted to know if...no no forget it."

"Sonny..."

"No, I said forget it, it's so lame and I decided I'd never do it."

"Do what?"

"Asking you about Rafael."

"Why would you never do it?"

"Because I don't want my relationship with Rafael to interfere with your friendship and I know how good you are for him."

"Sonny, I don't think you know how good YOU are for him either. I've known Rafael for a long time and I assure you that he has never been happier than since you two got together."

Mike wondered what they looked like discussing matters of the heart over a suspect.

"Okay," he said.

"So you wanted to know what...?"

"No, forget it, you just answered me without knowing it. And it's better that I speak directly to Rafael."

"Whatever you want Sonny, but if you need to talk I'm here. By becoming Rafi's partner you also became my friend, you know."

"Thanks Mike. I'm glad Raf's got you as a friend."

They helped the suspect to his feet and returned with him to the precinct.

Meanwhile...

"Rafael, we need to talk! Right now!" Rita says, storming into Rafael's office and heading straight to his desk.

Rafael choked as he was gobbling up a bag of pretzels that Liv had brought him just before.

Rita went to pat him on the back and then stood directly in front of Rafael, looming over him.

"I didn't think it would come to this, but now I must do it. I'm going to play mother hen for Sonny. What are your intentions in his regard?"

"I think it's just between him and me."

"I'm explaining it to you so that you can get it into your head. In case you haven't noticed, he's crazy about you. And I don't know how to get it out of his head, but he's convinced that he doesn't deserve you, that he's not good enough for you. By the way I think it's the opposite personally."

"What? But I thought we were done with that, damn it!"

"Apparently, he's not convinced at all! So what are you going to do about it?"

"Okay, it looks like I need to speed things up."

"What?"

"Never mind Rita! It's my problem now. So go to your sweetheart and tell her that she must cancel the rest of my appointments for today and then she has the rest of the day off. And that she'll pay me for letting you walk into my office like that."

"Raf-"

"No, you won't know anything. Shoo!"

As Rita closed the door, Rafael grabbed his phone: 

_-Mike! Change of plan. There won't be any surprise double dates, I'll have to manage differently. You manage on your side. It was your idea in the first place. Bye._

He didn't wait for the answer and hung up directly. Mike knew him well enough to understand the urgency.

He was going to have to act quickly, he had several things to arrange.

To think that his Sonny was still thinking about this kind of thing. Rafael thought that by now he had made him realize how much he was worth to him, how much he loved him, and how much he was a part of his life.

Yes well, he hadn't said the 3 words to him, but still, Sonny must have known right? 

However, Rafael often forgot that Sonny needed to hear the words. His empathy, which allowed him to understand people so well, disappeared as soon as he was concerned. 

Rafael was going to change that though, and very quickly if everything went the way he wanted it to.

After several series of phone calls he called Mike again.

_-Mike? Can you send Sonny to the Joy Face bar, yes yes I know, but I want something romantic so this bar is perfect. And you shut up and you listen to me, okay? Send him there and ask him to follow someone, and for some reason. You're a detective, you can make something up that doesn't sound like a joke._

_-All right,_ replied Mike, laughing as he hung up.  
  


____

Sonny sat at the bar in front of a glass of white wine with his back turned to the door because the suspect was going to arrive on the other side, being a waiter in that bar. He looked at the picture once more to remember his face and looked at his watch.

8.15pm

Damn! He had forgotten he had to go to Rafael's for 8pm! He had to call him quickly that he will be late.

He took his phone, dialed the number and waited for the ring.

"Come on Rafael, please answer!"  
  
  


  
  


"Yes Sonny?" said a voice behind him. "Answer to what?"

Sonny dropped his phone on the bar. Turning around to see Rafael smiling at him, beautiful in his navy blue suit and the tie he loved so much.

Sonny was speechless. 

"So Sonny? Answer what?"

"Raf..."

"No because if you don't ask questions, I have one for you," said Rafael, putting his hand in his pocket.

"Huh?" Sonny didn't understand what was going on.

"But before I ask you this question, I want to tell you something important. And I want you to listen to me and don't interrupt me, okay Cariño?"

"Okay Raf." 

Rafael smiled and gave him a light kiss on the lips before stepping aside a little and resumed: 

"I know I'm not very good at expressing how I feel. Even more so to the people who are most precious to me. And you Sonny, you are one of my most precious ones. I almost failed to make you understand that, but I'm going to change it. 

Sonny, if you saw yourself with my eyes, you would understand how much you mean to me and how worthy you are to me. Don't ever doubt that again please."

"Raf-"

"No, let me continue. The year we have just spent together is surely one of the most happiest of my life. And it is thanks to you Sonny. I love that you are the last thing I see at night before I fall sleep and that I am the first thing you see when you wake up. I hate the nights when you can't sleep with me. I love that you make the coffee, I love all the meals we share together. I used to love my solitude, I hate eating alone now, not hearing your appreciation with every bite. I love that we fight over the remote control, that you prefer sports and I prefer entertainment. I love the pout you make every time you lose at Scrabble. I love that you leave your stuff lying around even though I hate it when I have to put it away, because they are proof that you were there."

He stopped to wipe a tear from the corner of Sonny's eye with his thumb and let his hand linger on his cheek.

"I'm not finished. I love the fact that you steal my ties when you think I don't see it, although I would appreciate it if you would ask my opinion, at least you would wear them with the right suit. I love that you contradict me and don't let yourself be intimidated by my snarkiness, I love our debates on all kinds of subjects, because I know that you accept my opinion as I accept yours. 

I could go on all night, because Sonny, there are so many things I love about you, about us. But most of all I should have told you this much earlier. Because I've known it for a long time. I love you Cariño. I love you."

Seeing the smile of wonder from Sonny's eyes and reaching his lips was surely the most beautiful thing Rafael had ever seen. 

Then when Rafael opened the little box he had taken out of his pocket and said "Will you marry me?" and saw the shock passed from Sonny's eyes to his lips which rounded into an O, Rafael thought that was the second most beautiful thing he had seen tonight. 

Then he hastened to erase this expression by kissing the young man deeply and not letting him answer, at least not right away.

Sonny responded to the kiss before hugging him with all his strength, whispering the most beautiful answer in his ear.

A few minutes later, in an other part of the city a phone vibrated.

"Who's that?" Nick asked Mike, who had grabbed his cell phone.

The two men were sitting on the couch, Mike with his head in Nick's lap.

Mike raised the phone to eye level with Nick, who saw on the screen :

_'He said yes.'_

"Ah well it's about time" commented Nick.

"Speaking of which..." Mike replied.

"Hmm?" Nick said.

"When are you going to say yes to me?" 

Nick smiled, leaned over to put a kiss on Mike's lips and answered: "Now?"

Across town, a second phone vibrated.

Rita, half asleep, took her cell phone from the bedside table.

It said, 'We're getting married!' followed by a dozen emoji.

"Good for you," Rita mumbled.

Carmen snuggled against her saying, "Which means the boss will be in a great mood tomorrow...so I can afford to be a little late...if you know what I mean..."

Rita laughed. Then as she tightened her embrace around her partner, she thought that once again Rafael had been better than her on this one. But she didn't feel any resentment, because she knew that on the other side of the city, a young man must be the happiest man in the world right now.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thank you Sarahcakes 613 fr the beta reading as always !


End file.
